Good or Bad Idea? Jumping into O/O program at school

If anyone thinks that they can learn all that an O/O needs to know from a home study program.. they are in DEEP trouble. These people don't even know if a week down the trail that they'll even LIKE driving a truck.. learning this on someone else's time is always better than your own. If you do not have five years of good all weather / mountain / big city driving.. you'd be a fool to invest as much as it takes to operate a truck when you don't know anything about it.

 

why do people think you need to have over 18 months driving experience to run a truck as an O/O.

I can see having a full year to experience all the weather changes and the cargo cycles, but 5 years? Get a little more real. If you can't plan or see the cycle in 18 months, you aren't going to see it in 5 years.

The rest of it is business sense you can learn taking business management courses on line.

 

This isn't ment to inform you of everything you need to be an o/o.. It's designed to give you a leg up on being an o/o.. And as with anything in life your not going to know if you will like something until you try it.. Common sense comes into play here... The o/o course that national has isn't just for new drivers either...

JR

 

Was just going to say that...

Being an owner / operator needs to be treated like a business. Not treated like a glorified company driver who just happens to own a truck.. If you try to be an o/o without knowing how to run a business and make money for the company (company being you, not your paycheck), then o/o is not the right road for you.

JR

 

We are not talking about drivers who have even 18 months experience.. the original poster was talking about O/O after school.

 

You stated you had to have 5 years of good experience.

And that's bunk......

 

To you maybe..

 

depends on the company really.

Swiftees on here seem to be reporting 2000 miles consistently. That would have me looking for a new job quickly.

I was turning 3200-3300 miles a week when I left on average my company job. It was running regional stuff for kraft with a small outfit out of MN.

I know others that a more typical week for them is 2500-2600. This would be more on norm for the industry.

Rates go from 30cpm all the way to mid-40's.

I was at mid-30's.